This invention relates to munitions deployed in line charges. In particular, this invention relates to a detonation arrestor responsive to nearby explosions to cut a detonation cord and prevent sympathetic detonation of a line charge.
Often, one or more lanes cleared of mines and obstacles must be secured for an amphibious assault across a beachhead to assure that troops and supplies may safely come ashore. Line charges and systems of line charges are used by the military to create these safe lanes. Usually, several line charges are launched from a relatively safer launch point, e. g. a landing craft air-cushion (LCAC), by rockets that pull line charges out of containers to fly across the surf zone/beachhead and drape over obstacles and mines. The large number of serially connected warheads in each line charge is detonated a short time later via a detonating cord. The exploding warheads clear mines and light obstacles from at least one amphibious assault lane in the water and on land.
The line charges are launched from the LCAC to drape into water and onto land in a lane of a given width, and they are launched in successive echelons from the LCAC as it moves forward. For example, four line charges may be launched from the LCAC in an echelon that extends side by side with one another across the width of the lane and are detonated simultaneously. Then, the LCAC moves forward into this cleared segment of the lane to launch the next echelon of line charges.
However, rocket deployed line charges have varying degrees of reliability since some cannot withstand the rigors of deployment. Consequently, some have been shown to be incapable of detonating reliably and fail. Since the LCAC was never designed to be a heavy amphibious assault craft and, as such, lacks armor, a line charge detonating under or near an LCAC can result in catastrophic destruction of the craft or injury to personnel on the craft.
When line charge systems are launched and detonated in echelons, a dud line charge might turn up. This dud line charge might be in proximity to the LCAC when the next echelon of line charges is launched and detonated. In other words, the LCAC might have moved to a position over the area where the dud line charge from the previous echelon is lying. Detonating line charges of the subsequently deployed echelon of line charges might sympathetically detonate the dud line charge from the previous echelon under the LCAC. This sympathetic detonation could have catastrophic consequences for the LCAC.
Reefing line cutters or explosive diodes might stop the transfer of sympathetic detonation in a detonating cord of a dud line charge. The reefing line cutters could be actuated during the launch of the line charge that became a dud. Explosive diodes could be put in line with the detonating cord but much research and development work needs to be done to modify them to function properly with high output military grade detonating cord. These approaches might compromise the reliability of detonation since they require additional electrical components, power supplies, and interconnections that may not survive launch and deployment themselves.
Thus, in accordance with this inventive concept, a need has been recognized in the state of the art for arrestors that stop sympathetic detonation of unexploded line charges that might be in close proximity to personnel and deploying vehicles such as an LCAC.
The present invention is directed to providing an arrestor of sympathetic detonation of ordnance. A housing of a detonation arrestor has a transverse passageway to receive detonating cord for the ordnance and an axial bore intersecting the passageway. A cutter piston having a cutter blade is disposed in the bore and is sized for axial displacement by a shallow dish-shaped diaphragm spring. The diaphragm spring has its center adjacent to one end of the cutter piston and laterally extends from the bore to be secured to the housing along its round periphery. When the diaphragm spring is displaced by impinging pressure wave, it snaps to an extended position, it axially displaces the cutter piston in the bore to cut the detonating cord with the cutter blade and arrest detonation of interconnected ordnance.
An object of the invention is to provide an arrestor of sympathetic detonation of ordnance that is simple and efficient.
An object of the invention is to provide an arrestor of sympathetic detonation of ordnance that allows for easy alteration to accommodate any number of different detonating cord sizes and outputs.
An object of the invention is to provide an arrestor of sympathetic detonation of ordnance that can be scaled for application to other systems and is not limited to just cutting detonating cord.
Another object of the invention is to provide a means of cutting a detonating cord in a dud line charge by an impinging pressure wave.
Another object of the invention is to provide a means of cutting a detonating cord in a dud line charge by an impinging pressure wave from a nearby explosion underwater or on land.
Another object of the invention is to provide a means of cutting a detonating cord in a dud line charge by an impinging pressure wave from a nearby explosion underwater or on land to prevent sympathetic detonation thereof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a diaphragm spring in a Belleville washer configuration being responsive to an impinging pressure wave to cut a detonating cord in a dud line charge to prevent sympathetic detonation thereof.
These and other objects of the invention will become more readily apparent from the ensuing specification when taken in conjunction with the appended claims.